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Help! Trying to train 6 week old on bottle

My dd just turned 6 weeks today and since last Thursday we have been trying to train her on the bottle with my own breast milk. My dh does the training while I leave the room or remain out of her sight. We try our best to do it the same time every day and for about 15 minutes a shot. She usually cries and either lets the milk run out of her mouth or pushes the bottle out of her mouth. Only once or twice has she actually sucked on the nipple and she rarely swallows any of the milk.

We try to do it when she is not hungry or full, but it is hard to pick the right timing.

At what point should we try a different nipple? I go back to work on March 20th and I need to get her trained!

Re: Help! Trying to train 6 week old on bottle

Try the latex Gerber NUK. Does she take a paci. You might try the bottle when dd wants to comfort suckle she might not mind if milk comes with it. Also try using a spoon first to get her going if she shows interest in the milk she might accept the bottle because it's more efficent the the spoon. Good luck, Sara

Re: Help! Trying to train 6 week old on bottle

I had this same issue. Maybe your milk isn't warm enough. I made one for Jolene warmer than I usually had been and she took it right away. I just taste it and make sure its not too warm to me. You could also try a silicone nipple instead of latex, or vice versa.

Re: Help! Trying to train 6 week old on bottle

I think this is one of those things you just have to keep at. It took about 2wks for us, but before those 2wks I also let DB play with an empty bottle just to get used to it. Don't despair! It usually takes a number of days for DBs to put it all together.

Re: Help! Trying to train 6 week old on bottle

Thanks for all the tips! I'm thinking maybe I'm not making the milk warm enough...so I'll try that...She does not take a pacifier. We've tried it a few times and she didn't like it enough to bother and we'd rather she not be hooked on it.

The comfort suck thing seems like it would work too....Hard for me to tell though when she does this...

Re: Help! Trying to train 6 week old on bottle

ITA with the warm enough thing. My ds refused ebm until my mother made sure it was as close to "mother temperature" as possible.

Some helpful hints:
Allow baby to take bottle into mouth herself (tickling the lips with the nipple might help)
Warm the nipple under warm running water
Try to feed baby in motion, while facing out, in a bouncy chair (while watching t.v., even!).

And if your baby absolutely won't take a bottle, don't dispair. There are alternative feeding methods that will serve the same purpose. A cup, spoon, dropper, or syringe can do the same job. If you need information on using any of these methods, we'd be glad to help!